These Thousand Hills Page #5

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- Now?

- No. Later tonight.

I wanna find out his political

views about horse stealin'.

I'm gonna give him a real chance

to serve this community.

Evenin', Lat.Jehu and I got somethin'

we gotta talk to you about.

Come in.

Sit down.

The wife's in bed.

- You boys want some coffee?

- Uh, no, thanks, Lat.

Well, it happened again last night.

The stallion's gone.

They got intoJehu's corral too.

You missin' any?

- I watch my stock close.

- Sure.

Any idea who's doin' the rustlin'?

We know one thing:

They're cabined up north in the breaks.

- We're gonna jump 'em.

- When?

Dawn. That's why we're here.

We're lookin' for you to come along.

Up there in the breaks, huh?

What makes you so sure

they're guilty?

There are no innocent men

in the breaks.

- I don't like it, Frank.

- Why?

You'll be gunnin'

for everything in sight.

- That stick in your craw?

- A little.

What do you want, Evans,

a vote from the Bible class?

Easy,Jehu.

Lat knows all we're doin'

is protectin'our property.

That's his side of the fence too.

And he ain't big enough yet

to go it alone.

It's our horses now.

Tomorrow it'll be yours.

All I'm saying is wait.

- For what?

- Evidence.

And then let Sheriff Slade handle it.

Slade says the breaks are over the line-

out of his jurisdiction.

Did they wait for the sheriff

over at Gold Creek? They shot 'em up.

''Vigilante'' is just a polite name

for ''murderer'', Jehu.

- You know, Lat, Jehu, me, other ranchers,

- we swing a lot of votes in this territory.

Now, wait a minute.

I'll tell you what.

I'll make you a promise.

We ride out to the breaks-

no shootin'

unless they shoot first-

and when we're sure, we'll bring 'em in

for Slade to throw into the lockup.

- Fair enough?

- Who you speakin' for?

Brice Walker, McLean, the Swede,

all of us that's goin'.

- All right. I'm in.

- I knew you'd see it our way, Evans.

We're only doin' what a man's

got to do to protect his own.

Ride over to my place before dawn.

Lat, what is it?

It's nothing.

A little trouble over at Chenault's place.

I have to ride over there before dawn.

Oh.

You're pretty any hour of the day.

Do you know that?

Oh, Lat.

You're so thin.

You work too hard.

You haven't an ounce

of flesh on your bones.

Work, for the night is comin'

Rest comes sure and soon

Not that kind.

What about this kind?

You thinking?

I was just thinkin' about somethin'

my pa used to read from the Bible.

''A virtuous woman

is a crown to her husband.''

- What part of the Bible is that from?

- From Proverbs.

Lat?

Are you asleep?

- Cabin's ahead, to the right.

- We'll go up on foot.

Ride closer,

and a horse'll whinny.

- How does the cabin set?

- Facing us- south.

One door in front, and no place else

for 'em to make a break.

Leave Gunderson with the horses.

- But I shoot good.

- Stay with the horses.

Here's a spot for you to angle off.

Be careful, Lat.

Now, come on outta there!

No more! Don't shoot!

We come out!

No! No, no, no, no!

Mon dieu!

No, have pity, huh?

Have pity!

Save your prayers!

You'll need 'em in hell!

- Tom!

- You're all here, huh?

Includin' the senator.

All the groundhogs, the water hogs

and the natural-born hogs.

Talk big or go beggin'

like your friend.

We got a cure for both.

Anyone in there?

Yeah, Bigsbee,

shot through the face.

McLean, have a look.

Saves hangin'.

Now, Mac, look inside.

Give me that rope.

Make it good,Jehu.

I don't wanna hang on the wrong knot.

- Tie his hands.

- Wait a minute! Wait a minute!

You gave a promise, Frank- no hangin'.

We're takin' him to the sheriff

if he's guilty.

- If?.

- Let's hear what he's got to say.

- We know he's guilty.

- Shut up!

Tom, what about them horses

in the corral?

Well, they got four legs,

ain't they, Senator?

- They're stolen.

- We're givin' you a chance, Ping.

- Talk up if you're innocent.

- Innocent?

Well, that depends

on who the jury is.

I'll tell you a couple of things

I ain't guilty of.

I ain't prayed on Sunday.

Bought cows cheap on Monday.

I ain't broke my word.

I ain't climbed up high

on somebody else's back...

or thought of myself better

than another man.

I ain't double-crossed a friend

or made a little tin god out of money.

Sure, I'm innocent.

I'm as innocent as you.

Or ain't you boys innocent?

Like he says. It's Bigsbee...

shot through the face,

and the cabin's full of branding irons.

Are you satisfied now?

Here.

Throw this rope over that branch.

Bring up a horse.

Guilty or not,

you ain't hangin' him,Jehu.

The agreement was

we take him in for the sheriff...

and he stands trial,

and that's the way it's gonna be!

- You takin' him in, Senator?

- That's right.

- Brice.

- Yeah? - Take Evans gun.

You never intended

to take him in, did you,Jehu?

We're cleaning out these hills

once and for all.

You comin' along guarantees

you won't open your mouth to the law.

Move.

Brice, I'm afraid you're

gonna have to use that gun.

Now, Lat, he told us himself

them broncs were stolen.

He's entitled to a trial.

That's what the law says.

Hey, Lat.

Hey!

Neck's broke.

Let's get out of here.

I'll go on into town.

You sure you're gonna be all right?

- Yeah.

- There ain't no need to go blamin' yourself.

No, it's just like Tom said:

''Plowboy to rancher

and rancher to president.''

Maybe I'll make it yet.

Lat, I waited all day.

At Chenault's they said

you'd ridden off into the hills.

Frank's wife said she

thought you'd gone hunting.

That's right. We-

We went hunting.

When I came back,

there was a note for you under the door.

Who is Callie?

She's a... girl I used to know.

Well, the note says she needs you.

Isn't that what it says? - Yeah.

Well, is she accustomed to sending you

notes when she's in trouble?

- She has a right to.

- The right?

Were you in love with her?

- What's past is past.

- Oh, of course.

- When did you meet her?

- When I first came to Fort Brock.

- Not at a church social, I imagine.

- No, not at a church social.

Oh, you were lonesome.

A lonesome cowboy, and she was kind to you.

- More than that.

- More?

Five years ago, she lent me the money

she had saved up to get this ranch started.

I see.

Then I'm indebted to her, too, aren't I?

For everything?

Lat, if you go into town and see her,

I won't be here when you get back.

Now,Joyce, I love you.

What's past is past.

But I've been takin' a good

long look at myself today...

and I don't like

what I've seen.

I don't like what I've become.

That's why I have to go into town.

You still love her.

You know I don't.

But I owe Callie somethin'.

I owe her the right to call on me

when she needs help.

Oh, how can I believe you?

Why should you want to see her now

if you haven't been seeing her?

How do I know there haven't been

other notes on other occasions?

You'll just have to believe me.

Come in, Mr. Lat.

I've been waiting.

- Where is she?

- Upstairs.

She didn't write that note,

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